Patch-clamp experiments under micro-gravity

For human based space research it is of high importance to understand the influence of gravity on the properties of single ion channels in biological membranes, as these are involved in about all biological processes. The patch clamp technique is the best established method to investigate electrophysiological properties of single ion channels in detail. Consequently, a patch clamp set-up was designed for the drop tower in Bremen, Germany. Using this set-up among others, successfully leech neurons have been patched under micro-gravity, delivering data about ion channel behaviour, which were compared to results from bilayer experiments in the drop tower and to results from lab controls under 1 g and under higher gravity.